The committee of Valletta Volleyball Club has announced that for this season, they have sent a local volleyball coach, Maria Demicoli, for a professional youth coaching experience in Italy with U.S. Pro Victoria Pallavolo Monza, just outside Milan, Italy.

Demicoli is a coach and player with local female First Division side Play Volley, and also a member of the national volleyball team. This is the first time that a Maltese volleyball coach has been given such a contract overseas.

Ms Demicoli is in Italy for a duration of nine months, during which she will be engaged on a full time basis to carry out volleyball courses for young volleyball players but with a difference.

In fact she was specifically selected to conduct these classes in English so that the children would pick up the English language while doing something they love – playing volleyball. The project, entitled “Mini Volley for you”, targets children between the ages of 6 and 10 with training sessions taking place in three different parts of Milan to improve the accessibility of this project. She is also contracted as an assistant coach with Pro Victoria’s under-18 team.

Maria Demicoli has also received a month of professional coaching classes in preparation for this experience while also availing herself of a number of volleyball clinics and experiences that will be happening during the duration of her contract.

“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and although it is not easy to leave Malta for such a long time, I am enjoying this experience and enhancing my knowledge of the game of volleyball”, said Ms Demicoli following her arrival in Milan. “I am particularly grateful to Valletta Volleyball Club who have provided me with this chance and made all the necessary arrangements for me to get here”added Demicoli.

Valletta Volleyball Club are striving to continue seeking similar opportunities for other local players and coaches, “It is our pleasure to have secured such a unique opportunity for Ms Demicoli, and she will have a lot to give back to the local game with the experience that she is gaining in Italy,” said Jonathan Chetcuti, Valletta’s secretary. 

“Besides concentrating on the domestic competitions, our club also looks beyond our shores and is also finalising preparations for our senior men’s team to go up to Italy for another training camp while also working on other interesting incentives that will be announced in due course,” added Chetcuti.